by Peter Pogany

Created on: April 07, 2010

“By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food . . .” (Genesis 3:19)

Everybody felt sorry for Joe. He was capable, well qualified, always pleasant - helpful.  But the economy . . .  cutbacks, he was not alone. A group of supportive co-workers accompanied him to the parking lot. There were hugs and kisses. It was a sad good-bye.    

It took him a couple of days until he dared to tell himself in the mirror while shaving:

“You have no income!”

He registered with the unemployment office and plunged into the job market. With a B.S. in mechanical engineering and an excellent employment record, at 31, he didn’t think he he’d have any problems.   

As the weeks passed and he received only letters of rejection (or no answers at all), the uncertainty of the future settled on his chest like a shipwreck. But he continued to scan openings relentlessly; made calls, let friends know that he was looking - not only locally in Richmond and Central Virginia, but across the country.

Yes, he would go anywhere if he had to, even if it meant seeing Jonathan less frequently. The 9-year old lived with his divorced wife in Northern Virginia.

Unlike many other people who joined the ranks of the unemployed, Joe did not have to walk down the path of utter despair. He would never become a welfare recipient or a street person; he would never have to see the inside of a homeless shelter.

His parents in Norfolk called for a family meeting. Both of them still worked. His brother managed a local Pizza Hut and his sister and her husband were computer programmers in the Piedmont of North Carolina.    

The three households sent Joe money each month to supplement his unemployment assistance, which amounted to a fraction of his former take-home pay. It wasn’t much, but it covered rent, utilities, and food.   

His ex-wife, a government employee in Washington, DC, offered a three-month moratorium on child support or until he found another job. He thankfully declined. His savings and the family support would allow him to muddle through. How long could it take for a young engineer with demonstrated experience in the installation and maintenance of cold storage equipment and refrigeration, and excellent personal recommendations, to find employment?  

Lisa, his girlfriend, invited him to move in with her. The divorced woman occupied a sizable house with her two small daughters. Joe declined

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